Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-12
MAGELLAN OUTDONE.
STEVENS JOURNEY AROUND
THr3 w p2i4D.

CHINA Grand Entry GntO the Shah's
Cspitnl--Itinerary of the Adventurous
Trip.
Fran, the San Francisco Ee1miRer.
Mr.. Thomas Stevens, the bicyclist, ar
rived from Yokohama last. night in the
steamer City ofPeking, having completed
his famous tour of the world on wheels.
A tug having on board posse of customs
officers, committee Of three from the
San Francisco Bicycle Club, and several
reporters went out to welcome the ad-
yenturous traveller. After a parley over
the water Mr.. Stevens came tripping
DOWN the companion ladder of the big
ship with all the aploMb of a sailor. He
gave cordial response to the cheers of
his friends, and good naturally submit
ted to as much questioning as was pos
eible under the circumstances.
But little of Mr.. Stevens personal ap-
pearance could be discerned in the dim
light and his shrouding OF huge ulster
and an immense black, broad brimm ed
sombrero. He appeared, however, to be
about feet inches in height and well
built, judging from remarkably good
pair OF shoulders and his full chest, His
face is kindly and the exposures and
iatigues of his long journey have not lett
many traces or care marks about it. A
pair of clear, steady eyes and an express
sion OF determination about the mouth
give evidence of the possession of pluck
and determination to carry out such an
undertaking as ne has just completed,
and his letters to Outing, the pleasure
magazine he represented on his travels;
show that he was not lacking in
intelligence to eXtricate himself from dit
fculties where courage and fighting quail
tiles would have awaited him nothing. A
black moustache is the only hirsute
adOrnment OF mis- face, and il contrasts
strongly with the clear skin from which
the marks of contact with all sorts Of
weather have nearly faded away.
After the exchange OF greetings Mr..
Stevens SAID that his health was excel
lent and that he was beginning to feel
like civilized being once more instead
OF the homeless wanderer he had been tor
OVera year Pc I.
did you get through your troubles
with the Chinese all rightY'
''Weli, yes, with the exception of re-
ceiving a few bruises from vagrant rock
thrOwers. 1t WAS pretty rough expert
ence, however, and Dasht-i-Naumid came
nearly proving what its name signifies
desert OF despair--to ME. Two or three
times | was about to cOnclude.that my
journey was ended, but pulled through,
were over. How did you hear of my ex-
perience, by the way? L was not aware
that any news of my progress after leay-
ing 1eheran had reached you"
"How did you fare after leaving Shang-
hal and gettlng1ntO JapanW
"Splendidly. Ireceived excellent treat
ment from The Japs, and while my hatred
and disgust of the Chinese paasantrv will
last through life, 1 shall ever retain
kindly memory of their nelghbors. The
bicycle is not wholly novelty In some
parts OF Japan, as some of the young men
who were educated 81 American colleges
carried machines home with them. They
proved rare enough, however, for me to
create considerable wOnderment. In the
larger cities l found good many people
prepared for my coming, mainly from re-
ceiving papers containing notes OF my
progress"
Chow many bicycles did you use up on
your trip?'
"OnIy one" returned Stevens, laugh
ing, ''or rather one and parts of several
others. don't think there is a great deal
of the original machine left, as the rough
country caused good many repairs"
"Have you got 1t with youY'
"Yes, indeed. | wouldn't take a good
deal for it, and IS for carrying it with me,
that and my faithful pistol constitute
about the only baggage ha e. started
without anything and have arrived with
just as much, as a trip like mine did not
afford much opportunity for curio gath
erires. l depended GU purchases to re-
new my clothing, and sometimes found
was leaning on a broken reed" and the
traveller shuddered at the remembrance
OF having had to wear one suit OF under
clothing continuously for seventeen days
IN a country where luXurlss of the sort
were unknown.
The trip around the world was practi-
cally begun from this city, or to be more
exact, from Oakland, upoa April %, 1885,
upon which day he started away from the
mole across the bay amid the cheers OF
'large number who had assembled to see
him OF for trip across the continent 10
New York, Few then thought that he
would attempt anything further, and
many probably doubted whether he would
even complete this undertaking. AS is
we'll known, however, Mr.. stevens sue
cesstullv accomplished mis- transeOnti-
mental trip, and, as soon as the necessary
arrangements were made, crossed the
Atlantic to Liverpool.
Here some further preparations were
made, and upon May . OF last year, at 1
O'Clock in the afternoon, the final start
was made Tor the trip around tue world,
the journey beginning from Edge Hill
Church just as heavy rainstorm was
Witnessed the start, and twenty-five
members of the local bicycle club accom-
panied the adventurous traveller many
miles upon his road.
All through England, indeed. Mr.'Ste-
Vens was the recipient OF many courtesies
and much attention from bicyciists and
others, the same c0ndtitiop OF affairs
continuing after he had crossed over to
France. Landing at Dieppe, Mr.. Stevens
proceeded, by way of Rouen, 20 Paris,
from whence he passed on TO Vienna.
from The latter capital the enterprislng
traveller made his way as directly as pos
siblo to Constantinople, passing through
the Servian capital OF Belgrade on his
way. Everywhere he was received with
wondering admiration by the native pop
nlation, to the great mass OF which BIZ
cycle was something utterly unknown
and unneard of.
Passing without mention Mr.. Stevens
stay In Constantinople, since he had no
special adventures there, the reader ia
invited to accompany him in fancy, at
least, upon his rapid flight through Ash
Atlc turkey, Persia, China, ETC., until
MS arrival In San Francisco. As a rule
ne suffered no particular moestation, ex-
eeept from the prying curiosity OF the ma
yves, Joined in some instances TO a de-
cidedly thievIsh propensity.
His first adventure occurrad on his